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Raynaud’s Syndrome

I had never heard of Raynaud’s Syndrome til a couple of years ago when my hands got cold, a finger or two turned white and was numb. After a few times of it happening, I turned to Dr. Google, typed in what happened and sure enough . . there were pictures of exactly what I have. I did mention it to my doctor and he said it’s nothing to be terribly concerned about with the minimal way it was affecting my hands.

I was a bit concerned that I would have more problems in MO where, obviously, it’s colder but I’m thinking because it is colder, I stay in more and am not out in the cold where in Texas, it was probably cold enough to cause a reaction but not so cold I wouldn’t be out doing things (dealing with the greenhouse and chickens).

Sadly for me, it seems to happen most often when I’m holding a bowl of ice cream. I’m going to have to get myself an insulated bowl!

I was trying to be healthy and didn’t add ice cream to my last grocery list so I ended up having to make my own tonight. After holding the bowl, this is what I ended up with.

This is the first time I’ve ever had it on both hands at the same time. It doesn’t last long . . just til my hands get warm and the blood starts flowing again. The fireplace was going so I held my hands up to the blower and then sat on them for a few minutes.

I wasn’t able to stitch til they warmed up because the fingers get numb but it only took about 15 minutes til all was back to normal . . or as normal as it gets for me. 🙂

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Comments

  1. Several years ago, I met a lady who had Raynaud’s Syndrome. She ended up having to wear gloves while she worked because her hands/fingers got so cold. She would get so cold sometimes that she had to wear a hat and heavy sweater to work, too.

    Hope yours doesn’t get worse.

    • Me too! I’m rarely cold and it’s been probably 7 or 8 months since I had an episode so hopefully mine won’t get too bad.

  2. That’s what those microwave potholders work great for!! I always put one of those bowl-shaped potholders under my bowl of ice cream. I’ve been that way for years, so do my best to stay out of the cold and out of the freezer unless necessary! 🙂

    • I’ve never seen a bowl shaped potholder. Thanks! I’ll find myself one of those.

      • I just bought some from an Etsy seller a couple weeks ago. They were called Microwave Bowl Cozies.

        • Thanks! I’ll check it out. I almost didn’t show the gross pictures but I’m glad I did because I learned something new.

          • The cozies are very easy to make. I made several for a fundraiser for my quilt guild.

    • I was going to suggest this! I have heard them called Bowl Buddies.

  4. i seem to remember that you also have made mittens. Fingerless type gloves. Wear them when you have ice cream. I am diabetic and only have a taste or two for dessert when we go out for a special occasion. That is not often. Bought a bag of Key Limes the other day without a recipe. Found lots of them and bought what I needed after my dental appt. this am.n I now you love your ice cream, so just wear some gloves. Or, run your hands under hot water, eat your ice cream and run them under hot water again.

    • The fingerless aren’t going to help because it starts at the tip of my fingers.

      I can sit at the table and leave the bowl on the table instead of sitting in my comfy chair and holding the bowl. Or, I can wrap the bowl in a dish towel til my bowl cozies arrive.

  5. My daughter and mom both have Reynaud’s. My daughter has to be careful not to let her feet get too cold, or it’s hard to get them warmed up again!

  6. To to be an alarmist, but Renauds has been associated with elevated incidence of Diabetes type 2. Just to keep in mind. Not a cause and effect, just an observed association.

    I have Reynauds, and my mom is Type 2, so I keep aware..

  7. Bowl cozies are very easy to make. About an hr of time. If using in microwave the batting needs to be 100% cotton. They are just a square (like a layer cake) with 4 darts they zig zag around the darts and edges.

  8. You just need to make a couple soup bowl cozies. I have several and I use them for hot or cold foods in a bowl. You can make them different sizes. Look on YouTube for videos on how to make them.

  9. We have a friend with a serious case of Raynaud’s. He takes medications, has had to give up snowmobiling as he can’t keep his hands warm enough. He really suffers when it is cold.

  10. Use a wide mouth insulated food container such as the kind to take cold or hot food for lunch. Your ice cream will stay cold longer and your hands will stay warm…and no extra laundry!

  11. i think you just diagnosed my sometimes white fingertips! will have to look it up, glad you mentioned your dr’s opinion. thanx!

  12. Interesting to see how common Raynaud’s is. My son has it now after having had chemo. It’s gotten better over time but for awhile we had him carry those instant heat packs when he was out and about. I agree with all the microwave cozy suggestions. Easy to make but important to use 100% cotton fabric, thread, and batting with no polyester (including scrim). I bought the batting used to make the potato bags. Quick and easy!

  13. Would getting compression gloves help? I bought some without fingertips to use and they help with my arthritis that is developing in my hands. Since the compression helps with blood flow, it should help with the fingertips from getting cold.

  14. bowl cozies – they’re not just for hot stuff, i use mine just as often for cold!!! if you make your own, remember to use all cotton batting and all cotton fabric (no metallics – that will start a fire in the microwave for sure) … every body in my family has at least one – and now we have different ones for each holiday – the stack grows ever higher

  15. Sorry you’re dealing with this, Judy. I highly recommend researching the autoimmune connection with Raynaud’s. Letting potential autoimmune activity go on because whatever you’re dealing with doesn’t seem that bad, can result in more problems down the road. It’s a bit of a “stitch in time saves nine” situation, so to speak.

    • I’ve been checked several times and so far, mine is what they call primary and not so often connected with auto immune problems, which is considered secondary Raynaud’s.

  16. measure your bowls before making or buying bowl cozies. i made a bunch and they don’t fit the bowls here at the house.

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